Dear XXXXXXXX <applicant's name>,

We invite you to participate in the Portfolio Commons project during
the 2005-06 academic year.  Please email to me by June 10, 2005
whether you are able to accept this invitation.  Your acceptance
indicates a commitment to carrying out the following:
  1. Attend the workshop meetings, September - June as indicated in
  the attached schedule.  The location will rotate among our home
  institutions;  
  2. Complete a course portfolio for a course of your preference from
  among the courses that you indicated in your application;
  3. Read a small number of papers that will help in carrying out
  the goals of the project;
  4. Undertake a peer observation of another participant, as well as
  being peer-observed by another participant at a time of mutual
  convenience; 
  5. Read and critique portions of other participants' portfolios;

A note on the schedule.  One of the main challenges in putting this
together is that many people do not yet know when they will be
teaching after the fall quarter, and will not find out for several
momths.  And for some, the fall quarter teaching schedule is subject
to change right up until the quarter starts.  The other challenge, no
less formidable, is finding a time when almost 10 busy people have 1/2
day available that is common to them all.  As a result, I felt that my
only choice was to schedule it Saturday afternoon; all other times had
too many conflicts.  I know that you indicated that Saturday is OK but
not preferred -- I feel the same way!  I also know that this might
"cost", along several dimensions -- believe me, I am incurring similar
costs.  But I felt it was the only time possible.

I hope that the following are mitigating factors:
  o it is only once per month
  o since the schedule is locked-in now, it increases the
  possiblility that you can plan around conflicts; 
  o The initial and capstone workshops have been reduced to 5 hours
  from 8 hours;
  o It does not conflict with any dates any of you specified on your
  application; 
  o No Saturday is scheduled on any weekend involving a major holiday
  (Columbus Day, Halloween, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas,
  New Year, MLK Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Easter, Memorial
  Day);
  o No Saturday is scheduled on any weekend conflicting with a
  conference that several of us will be attending (SIGCSE, CCSC-NW,
  ICER);

I welcome your participation as long as you have less than two known
conflicts that you will be unable to reschedule (but please let me
know if this is the case, and which dates).  However, if you more than
two unavoidable conflicts, it will be too difficult to establish the
continuity necessary to sustain our momentum.  In such a case I ask
that you not accept the invitation to participate.

Again, let me thank you for your interest in the "Portfolio Commons"
project.  I hope that you are able to attend!  If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Josh Tenenberg